Knee protector



" Aug. 7, 1934.

B. c. SCHNELLBACHER KNEE PROTECTOR Filed NOV. 4, 1933 FIG./

FIG. 2

rllolll INVENTOR BERT/{H C. SCHNELLBHCHER @Emi 1 ATTORNEY i Patented Aug. 7, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT oFF cE to Carolyn W. Libb y, East Orange, N. J

Application November 4, 1933, Serial No. 696,651

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a knee protector and has for its principal object the provision of a protector which is much simpler and cheaper than any'protectors which have heretofore been proposed.

I am aware that numerous forms of protectors have been proposed to be used for protecting the knees of persons who have occasion to do work of various kinds in kneeling position.

Many of these knee protectors have been provided with metallic reenforcements arranged without the soft pads of which they form a part, but for household purposes it is obvious that any metallic reenforcing plates or devices exterior of the pad are not permissible for obvious reasons. Reenforcing devices Within the pads are also objectionable and add materially to the cost of the protector.

I have found, on investigation in a large number of stores, that the knee protectors on sale at the present time are merely oblong pads of sponge rubber which are moved by the hand of the person using them to a position where they can be knelt upon.

I have therefore conceived the idea of so constructing a knee protector by using a pad of sponge rubber which is highly resilient, and attachment means for the pad so that the complete combination can be made and sold at an extremely low price, thereby rendering the same available for sale in the five and ten cent stores, and thereby placing a highly efficient and effective knee protector within the price range of a large number of people.

My improved knee protector is illustrated in the attached drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the pad with one form of attachment associated therewith.

Figure 2 shows a plan view of the protector with' asomewhat different attachment means than that shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the form of protector shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a side view of a pad having two attachment strips going through the pad.

Figure 5 is a side view of a pad having the attachment strip positioned on the outer surface of the pad.

In the different views, 1 is a pad of highly resilient material, preferably of moulded sponge rubber, having top and bottom surfaces substantially smooth. The pad 1 may be circular or somewhat 'oblong, as desired. To one edge of the pad 1, is fastened a clip 2 in any satisfactory manner as by stitches 3 which may be passed through the entire body of the pad. Preferably diametrically opposite to'the clip 2, one end of an elastic band 4 is fastened to the pad as by stitches 5. Preferably the end of the band Land the clip 2 are positioned approximately midway between the top and bottom sur: faces of the pad 1. These parts may be inserted in a slit in the pad prior to the stitching operation. The free end of the band 4 is provided with a fastener 6 adapted to hook into the clip 2 after the band 4 has passed around the leg of the wearer at the bend of the leg opposite the knee. Preferably the elastic band 4 is provided with an adjusting buckle 7 as in a garter.

In the form of protector shown in Figure 2, a part 80f the attachment band is positioned within and passes clear across the pad 1, and this portion 8 of the band is of fabric and non-elastic, the ends of the non-elastic portion 8 extending beyond the periphery of the pad 1, and one end looped through the clip 2 and stitched in one or more places 9 to the end of the portion 8 of the attachment band. To the opposite end of the portion 8, the elastic band 4 is attached preferably by looping together the portion 8 as well as the end of the elastic portion 4, as shown in Figure 3, and then stitching them at 10. The non-elastic portion 8 of the attachment band may be moulded with the pad 1, or the pad 1 may be made in two parts, laid together over the portion 8, and then the two parts joined together.

By this latter construction, much of the strain is removed from the pad itself and taken by the attachment band portion 8, and the stitching operation through the pad 1 of Figure 1, is eliminated. Furthermore, the construction of Figure 2 reduces the amount of the elastic band material required, as this part may be rather short, even shorter than that shown in Figures 2 and.3. For example, the band 8 may be continued a considerable distance toward the buckle 7, thereby cutting down the amount and cost of the elastic portion of the attachment band.

In Figure 4, I have shown a construction somewhat different from that illustrated in Figure 3, in that there are two fabric'strips 8 positioned on opposite sides of the pad, but on the diameter thereof, as illustrated in Figure 2, and still embedded or positioned within the material of the pad. For certain purposes, however, for example housework use, only one of the fabric strips 8, located as in Figure 4, need be used. The knee pads shown in Figures 3 the cloth or non-elastic fabric strip on the unband is embedded within cured piece of rubber and then placing over the. fabric strip an additional piece of uncured rubber, This last piece that is put on, just extends over the edges of the cloth or fabric strip suliiciently to adhere to the main part of the pad, the portions of the pad being joined together in anysatisfactory manner.- As shown in Figure 4, the ends of the fabric strip are stitched together and to the buckle at one end, and to the elastic portion of the attachment band at the other end.

In Figure 5, I have shown the non-elastic fabric band 8 as being positioned on the surface of the pad 1, the band being attached to the pad as by cementing or by stitches 9 and 10 passing through the edges of the pad. Generally speaking, however, I prefer the construction where the non -elastic portion of the attachment the material of the pad.

I have found that a knee protector of the type described can be very easily worn beneath the housewifes dress during the process of housecleaning, and when it is desired to kneel down, the knee protectors are all in position for the purpose, thereby eliminating the search for the separate kneeling pad now in universal use. The attachment means described renders it very easy to attach the pad to the leg of the wearer, and at the same time provides an easy fitting means.

While I have found the device as illustrated to be particularly useful for the housewife, it

may be used by other persons and for other purposes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A knee protector comprising, a one-piece pad of resilient moulded rubber of substantially uniform thickness throughout, an attachment band having elastic and non-elastic portions, thenon-elastic portion lying within and'extending clear across the pad, while the elastic portion is exterior to the pad.

2. A knee protector composed of only a pad of resilient moulded rubber of substantially uniform thickness throughout, a fabric band going through the pad and having an elastic portion exterior to the pad for completing the band.

3. A knee protector comprising a'pad of resilient moulded rubber of substantially uniform structure and thickness throughout, an attachment band made up of elastic and non-elastic portions, the non-elastic portion composed of at least one strip of fabric extending across the pad on a diameter thereof and securely attached to the pad.

4. A knee protector comprising a pad of sponge rubber devoid of relatively rigid re-enforcements, said pad being flat on opposite sides and of substantially uniform structure and thickness throughout, and attachment means extending from opposite parts of the pad and having cooperating attachment'clips for fastening the pad to the leg of the wearer. 

